2 BP Employees to face manslaughter charges; largest criminal fine in history

quote:Oil giant BP has agreed to pay the largest criminal penalty in U.S. history, totaling billions of dollars, for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a person familiar with the deal said Thursday. oil-rig-explosion-boats.JPGMichael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-PicayuneOil giant BP has agreed to pay the largest criminal penalty in U.S. history, totaling billions of dollars, for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a person familiar with the deal said Thursday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record about the deal, also said two BP PLC employees face manslaughter charges over the death of 11 people in the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that triggered the massive spill.

re: 2 BP Employees to face manslaughter charges; largest criminal fine in history (Posted on 11/15/12 at 9:32 am to Mac)

Help me understand this...

The deep water horizon isn't owned by BP it's owned, staffed and operated by Transocean. BP only owned/possessed the exploration rights of the drilling site. How is BP liable to criminal penalties totaling billions of dollars if the rig wasn't under their direct control? I know they have the bigger pockets but am I missing something?

re: 2 BP Employees to face manslaughter charges; largest criminal fine in history (Posted on 11/15/12 at 9:43 am to McChowder)

BP has the final say on well operations. I believe that there were documented concerns from Halliburton (cement company) and transocean about the safety of drilling ahead, and BP made the decision despite those concerns.

re: 2 BP Employees to face manslaughter charges; largest criminal fine in history (Posted on 11/15/12 at 9:52 am to BROffshoreTigerFan)

Transocean and Haliburton employees had a chance to shut the job down and they didn't. Mistakes were made, but the Tranocean employee who was the US Coast Guard recognized person in charge of the rig has more fault than any other person. They are responsible for the safety of all people on their vessel.

re: 2 BP Employees to face manslaughter charges; largest criminal fine in history (Posted on 11/15/12 at 9:58 am to BROffshoreTigerFan)

Guys - nobdoy implemented a stop the job on the rig at the time of the accident. The crew, overseen by BP company men, made a critical mistake in accepting the results on the negative pressure test (and other indicators) that the well was flowing.

On the TO rig, the Master was in charge when the rig was undertow....while latched up to the BOP, the OIM was in charge.....but that is mute point. BP is responsible for the operations conducted by the contractors working on their behalf.